The increasingly widespread employment of data processing and record keeping equipment has given rise to a significant need for convenient methods of keeping relatively large quantities of otherwise disorderly printed material in convenient form. The present invention has for its object the provision of a convenient device for binding together a plurality of sheets of paper into book form, while allowing the bound books to be conveniently handled and stored. The instant invention is particularly useful because it makes possible an efficient techinque for binding, use and storage of output printed data from data processing equipment.
In the past, the output sheets from data processing equipment, which are typically in the form of a series of connected sheets folded alternatively in different directions, were stored by simply being stacked, or kept in drawers, boxes or the like. If one decided to inspect the sheets one would have to go to the trouble of retrieving them, perhaps from an inconvenient place, such as the bottom of a box. In inspecting the sheets, care had to be taken to prevent them from coming apart. Moreover, going through the sheets was difficult because of their relatively loose format.
In accordance with the present invention, the aforementioned disadvantages of the prior art are alleviated. The invention is applicable to a series of alternatively folded sheets, such as the output of conventional data processing equipment or separate sheets. They are maintained in a bound form which permits easy inspection and efficient retrieval. Moreover, the bound sheets are easily storable and retrievable.